Yes, it's a Strange Relationship
by Deathberry Love
Summary: Momo x Ann It's unsaid and unclear what's between those two. Will anything happen? And if something does what will it be?
1. Chapter 1

Summary: It's all between Momoshiro Takeshi and Tachibana Ann and it's unclear and unsaid what it _is_ between them. Will anything happen or will everything be left where it is – passed one stage but not yet really there?

Author's Note: It is my first try so please be kind. (: But flames as reviews are also appreciated as long as they won't burn _too _much xD but encouragement and suggestions to improve my work will be much more welcomed. Well, enjoy?

Disclaimer: Yeah, I'd own Prince of Tennis if I were _Takeshi Konomi_

--

Momo sank back into the mess of pillows and blankets that were to be his bed. Man, the day's events had so-so pissed him off, tired him out and most of all – confused him.

"It's a date!" she had kept repeating, with the same bright smile on her face. It was all a kind of misunderstanding in the end – thank god he had dragged Echizen along, just in case.

Well actually he didn't know if it _was _a misunderstanding. Hell, he didn't even completely know what happened. All he knew was that he was in the street tennis place where the rhythm dude turned out to be, and started calling him a "loser" and ranting on about "anybody but him". Then somehow, a whole horde of people had appeared and started arguing and bawling.

The doubles match was frankly a waste of time. They had lost. Damn that Kamio. It was all his fault they lost. It was stupid to think he was that…that Tachibana's sister's boyfriend. I mean after all, in the end it - wait. What _did _happen in the end? Something about a date with her _brother_. Heck that made things even more complicated. Then all of a sudden a few other of the regulars had been conjured from thin air and arrived at the scene.

"Arghhh," he flipped over, burying his face in the pillows. It was confusing. And hurting his brain. Perhaps he should stop thinking about it. He blindly reached up for his alarm clock and reluctantly rolled over to check the time.

9:02 pm.

It was still early. He could get some homework done. Or head down to the nearby courts for practice.

Alright. Decided. Tennis over homework. He groaned as he pulled himself out of bed, untangling himself from the sheets. Just as he was about to slip on his trainers, the shrill ring of the phone echoed through his room.

"Mm?" he slid his hand up onto the table, skimming over the smooth surface for the receiver. Feeling it in his grasp, he pressed the green button and held it to his ear.

"Moshimoshi?"

"Momoshiro-kun!"

The familiar voice caused him to jump, throwing up the receiver then comically trying to clutch it back in his hands. 'Oi Tachibana no imouto! Why are you calling again?! And how the hell did you get my number?!"

A short silence followed, though then quickly broken by a cheery laugh. "Phonebook of course! And to answer your other question – are you free tomorrow?"

He felt a jitter of nerves. "Why?"

"Nmm. How should I say it? I have a competition in a few days time down at the sports center, and I wanted someone to practice with,"

"Why don't you go with your brother's teammates?"

Her voice turned sharp and crisp. "Are you turning me down?"

"No…"

"Exactly," she said, with a note of triumphant in her voice. "If a girl asks you to practice tennis with her then you practice with her. Got it?"

"Err…okay,"

"Cool! See you tomorrow, same place, same time!"

"Whah-hey!" he called through the phone but the line had clicked dead. He'd be damned if he had to go back to that – that "street tennis place", though he found "street- where -random -tennis- players- start- arguing –and- yelling- the -crap outta' -each -other -place" much more suitable. Well it was too late now to say no. Unlike her, he didn't know her number and did not bother to go to the trouble of looking for a phonebook THEN looking for her number.

He frowned at the prospect of having the chance to meet Kamio or some other hot-headed Fudomine player again.

Thinking about tomorrow, he mechanically kicked off his trainers and rolled back onto his bed, resuming his action of staring at the white ceiling of his bedroom.

-

x

-

"Momoshiro-kun! Over here!"

"Eh?" Momo looked up, confused. School had just ended, practice was cancelled and he was heading over to where his bike was padlocked. He scanned the area, trying to locate the source of the known voice. He found it. His eyes nearly burst out of the sockets.

Ann was standing just outside the school gate, waving energetically, a radiant smile on her face. Many people were looking from her to Momo.

What the hell was she doing here? Weren't they supposed to meet at the street tennis place?

"Err…just a second!" he called over to her.

"Ooooh," he felt an arm clamp around his shoulder. "Quite the sly one, Momo. Off to another date?"

"Eiji-senpai! No, no it's not like that!" he hurriedly said. "We're just practicing tennis!"

Eiji gave him a cat-ish grin. "Date during tennis,"

Momo felt something weird shoot down to his toes. It was strange hearing the memorable/mystifying phrase. "It's not! It's not!"

"Yeah, yeah. Damn, you're one lucky guy." Chortled Eiji as he headed off. "Tell me all about it tomorrow after practice!"

"Eiji-senpai!" he grumbled.

"Don't keep her waiting!" was the last he could hear of Eiji as the acrobatic left the school grounds.

He quickly unlocked his bike and started walking with it towards the gate when he spotted Echizen. Hmm…

"Echizen!" he yelled, hurrying up to him.

"Nanuska?" he said in a bored voice.

"Want to go practice tennis with me?" he asked casually. But Echizen had spotted Ann at the gate and acknowledged her immediately.

"Konichiwa Echizen-kun!" she greeted merrily when she caught Echizen's eye. He nodded back at her then turned to Momo.

"No thanks. Wouldn't want to interrupt your date," he said with a devious smile and was conveniently accosted by Kachiro, Horio and Katsuo.

"Oi, oi, Echizen!"

"Bye bye, Momo-senpai," he said in a nearly kind of sing-song voice.

And he had walked past the gate and turned the corner, disappearing into another group of students walking home.

"Momoshiro-kun!"

He had reached the gate and they stood aside to greet each other.

"Yo. I thought we were meeting at the street tennis place."

She shook her head. "School ended early because of this teacher's training thing so I went there. It was occupied by a bunch of elementary school kids. Didn't want to shoo them away so I thought we'd go down to the center instead. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure," he shrugged. He was easy. Well except for – "Are any of your brother's teammates there?"

"It's fine," she laughed. "What happened last time, won't take place again,"

Momo joined in laughing as they both momentarily reran the scenes of the nightmare, non-stop arguments at their last meeting. He could distantly hear Inui and Oishi talking heatedly as they walked up to the school gates.

"It's not a triangle or square! Besides Echizen went home by himself! Oh no. What if another guy is involved? From another school, perhaps? A conflict might start between Seigaku and that school and who knows what could happen? There will be intense rivalry, a duel of tennis, maybe? We should stop it before any injuries occur!" Oishi was throwing up his hands agitatedly.

"Hmm…the probability of it being a guy from another school is high, around 75 percent actually, seeing as the girl is from Fudomine,"

"No, no, no. Inui we've got to do something! You know how Momo always acts rashly. And if it's something to do with his emotions – a fight might break out and - !" he stopped abruptly as he realized that the two main object of their conversations was standing right in front of them. There was an uncomfortable was no doubt Momo was annoyed at the misunderstanding but he plastered a feeble smile on his face.

"Um…Momo! Going somewhere?" Oishi asked with awkward bravado.

Silence.

Then Ann looked like she was about to speak.

Oh God, please don't say it.

"On a date!"

Inui and Oishi appeared startled that she had responded so forwardly.

Inui was muttering something under his breath. Oishi laughed uncertainly. "Good! Good! …Have fun then!" and he dragged both himself and Inui in the opposite direction.

"Sorry. You know how my teammates are." he turned to Ann who had a kind of bemused look on her face. Then she smiled again. "They're doing great, aren't they?"

"You could say so…"

"Mm, let's go,"

-

x

-

"Uooh, good footwork!" he commented as he hit the ball with a powerful return.

"Mm-mm! I've been working on it! Don't go easy!" she reminded.

"Course' not!" It was a lob. Keeping to his word, he jumped up and Dunk Smashed. She had seen it coming. But still hadn't acquired the ability to return it.

The ball bounced off the beige coloured wall and rolled to a halt.

"Ah-ah. Momoshiro-kun's famous Dunk Smash,"

"You nearly got it," he said positively.

"Really?" she looked over at him.

"It's true. You knew where it was going to bounce and got there in time. All you've got to do now is learn from which angle and how to hit it back…though don't go telling that to your brother's teammates."

She nodded and laughed at the advice and quip then checked her watch. "It's 4:30 already!" she exclaimed. "Time to give back the court. That's how it is at a sports center," she added apologetically.

"Man, and I was ready to play at full strength,"

"Hey! You were holding back!"

"Joking, joking," he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Meet ya' in the lobby!"

-

-

-

"Ne, you have time for a few hamburgers?"

They were changed back into uniform and standing at the doors of the sports center.

"A _few_?" she said incredulously.

"I'm hungry. Aren't you?" he said defensively.

She arched an eyebrow but then quickly broke into her regular, warm smile. "I guess…your treat!"

"Aww. Well fine. Seeing as I'm your senpai," he conceded with a sly grin.

"Peh. You're not my senpai, you're my - " she broke off suddenly and Momo tensed.

"Err…what was I going to say? I don't remember." She stuttered unconvincingly. "C'mon let's go. I _am_ hungry,"

It was actually really easy to talk to Tachibana Ann, well once the strange hurdles of their relationship were avoided. Supplied with a burger, fries and a soda (plural of everything for Momo), their conversation had stretched from amusing stories from the training sessions at Seigaku, opponents that Fudomine had faced, what their hobbies were, their family members, to how Tezuka's arm was and what the sports center girl's tennis championship was about.

"Ne, you have ketchup on your cheek. Seriously, you eat like a pig," she reached for a napkin then leaned over the table and wiped off the smear for him. Her sudden closeness froze him. He could feel her calm breath; her soft brown hair had loosely slid downwards and grazed his cheek. And until she had rolled the dirtied napkin into a ball and stuffed it under a tray THEN looked at him again, did he seem to find his brain working, blood circulating and his arms and legs able to move.

"Tha-thanks." he managed.

She beamed at him. "No problem,"

"You done already?" he suddenly noticed the empty burger wrapping and fries packet.

"I don't eat as much as you. I'm not that much of a greedy pig. It's surprising you can still _move _after all that." she teased.

He chomped down the rest of his last burger then chugged down the remaining gulps of his soda then faced her proudly. "Tch. It doesn't matter. I work out," he hit himself on the chest. "There's nothing wrong with this body, a little nutritious food won't do any harm,"

"Sure, nutritious," she echoed, gesturing the bread crumbs and bits of lettuce amongst burger wrappings on their trays. "Not to mention all that fat," she grabbed her bag next to her just as he stood up.

"How're you getting home?"

"Usual. Walk. It's not that far from here actually. I'll manage – OW!" she abruptly winced in pain as she took another step from the burger joint.

"What? What? Are you okay?"

She knelt down and pressed her left foot with her hands. "These new shoes hurt like hell," she swore as she stood up and tried walking again.

"_That_ was not very lady-like," he stated, half amused. Then he sighed. "Where do you live again?"

She reluctantly gave him the address. "It's fine. Honestly. I'll get there myself."

"Ann, just get on."

She hobbled unwillingly over and swung herself gingerly onto to the back part of his bicycle, sitting in side-saddle fashion.

Whilst her feet were still aching, her butt hurt too because of the hard and rough backseat. It didn't help either, that Momo wasn't exactly a slow and smooth bicycle rider.

Damn, she was going to fall sooner or later.

The swing around the next corner proved her right. She couldn't hold onto her bag AND seat anymore. With a small cry, she was flung off the bike, though she had half expected it, it wasn't such a nasty fall. But it resulted with heavily scratched knees and hands.

Momo braked the bike instantly and jumped off. "Crap! Ann! Ann!" he ran over to her. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

She held out her hands and gestured to her knees. The gashes and cuts weren't exactly merciful. "I've got some medical aid in my bag," she directed him to fetch it for her. Settling on the ground, she delicately used her fingers to ruffle inside the bag for the little pink pouch. At last she held it up.

"Here. I'll help you." He took the pouch gently from her and extracted a few bandages and a tube of cream. Tenderly, he applied cream on to the cuts, she grimaced at the sting. Then he carefully wrapped and stuck on the bandages.

"There," he stood up, wiping the remaining cream onto his shirt distractedly. He then bent down to help her up. All the bandages looked weird on her, her uniform was dirty and with a gloomy sense of dread, she had realized one of her triple heart hair clips had mysteriously disappeared but she felt a lot better once the bleeding had stopped.

"You think you can make it back?" he asked lightheartedly. She smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Momoshiro-kun."

"Sure, sure," he waved off the word of thanks. "It was nothing. Though," his eyebrows creased into a frown. "Your brother's not going to like this."

She shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong. In fact, you helped me."

He hitched her onto the back seat, one hand holding hers, the other on her waist, guiding Ann. "Hold onto something okay?" He looked at the bike as though a safety rail would suddenly appear on both sides, keeping her safe. He got on. Then knowing she wouldn't see him turn red, he said decisively. "Hold onto me."

For a second, she looked surprise. Not out of disgust or anything, but because he was the one initiating the contact. She was not blind or deaf, she had seen the cringes and flinches during the last time she had kept mentioning "date".

Little by little she slipped her arms around his middle, then deciding it right on the spot; she rested her head lightly on his back. He didn't recoil or anything but soon started pedaling at a slower velocity in silence. It was as if they were suddenly separated from the busy, noisy world out there and the atmosphere they shared was peaceful and quiet except for the noise of the wheels…and…well…the glint of glasses and a pen scratching against paper at super high speed around the corner couldn't go disregarded. But one's world couldn't be _that_ perfect. She closed her eyes, feeling the breeze flitter by. She tightened her hold on Momo nonchalantly and a smile rose at the corner of her lips. Unknowingly, a smile too had appeared on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

-

-

-

"Pssst!"

"Pssst. Psst. Sakuno-chan. Over here," Momo stuck his head around the corner of the school block.

"Hmm?" Sakuno turned her head, and looked taken aback when seeing who had called her. "Momo-chan Senpai? What is it?"

"Come here," he indicated with a finger.

With the same puzzled face, she stepped towards him. "Yes?" she repeated.

"Can you do me a favour?"

Her eyes widened further. _Momoshiro _ask her, _Sakuno_, a favour?

He leaned forwards and whispered at a fast pace in her ear. After he had finished explaining the task, Sakuno's face was pure crimson.

"What are you planning to do with it?"

"Umm…it's kind of a secret. But can you do it today?"

"I think so…"

"Good. Really thanks, Sakuno-chan!" he resumed his usual volume.

"Your welcome."

The very same night he had asked Sakuno to do something for him, the phone rang once again at around 9:00pm.

"Momoshiro-kun!'

"Oh, Ann. How's your feet and your scratches?"

"I'm fine. The cuts are healing really rapidly. And well I just had to wear trainers to school today instead of those stupid shoes."

Momo laughed. "That's good then,"

"Yeah," she agreed. "Are you free tomorrow?"

"Yup." he said straightaway.

"Really? Can you come by my house? Dad just finished setting up a tennis court in our backyard! You can come over and practice with me!"

"Just you and me," she added with a laugh. "Don't worry. Onii-chan always practices at school until 5 o'clock,"

Momo breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay then. I'll drop by tomorrow,"

"Great! See you tomorrow!"

"See you,"

As if on autopilot, once he had hung up, he slanted himself onto his mattress, eye focus on the ceiling, brain focus on the girl he had suddenly grown so attached to.

-

x

-

"Good one Eiji! Keep going! Don't lose the pace!"

"Excellent, Fuji. Though you still have the tendency to be one step late! Next!"

"MORUEZE! BURINING! COME ON OISHI, BABY. HIT IT TO ME! UH-HUH! UH-HUH!"

The mother of Seigaku sweat -dropped. "Good…Taka-san…" He had left a burn hole on one side of the court.

"HORA! HORA! BURNING!" came the every-day, common bellow once again.

"Next!"

POW! BOUNCE. BOUNCE. BOUNCE. ROLL.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Mada Mada Dane,"

"…"

"Fushuuuuu,"

"Did-did you see that?"

"I sure did, Arai. My God,"

"What-what was-wa-was that?"

"No way!"

Silence.

So deadly and …_silent_ that the sound of a bouncing ball, yells and pounding of feet from over the basketball courts could be heard.

"What? What?" Momo said, coming to his senses and finally looking at his senpai, the juniors and freshmen in turn who were staring at him in awe.

"Momo…are you feeling alright?"

It was as if his senses suddenly cleared and he realized the weighting consequences of what he had just did.

"It – it was just one missed shot guys! Nothing to worry about!" his palms faced out, waving vigorously as he shook his head, sheepish smile on his face.

"OI! MOMOSHIRO-CHAN! THAT WAS THE EASIEST HIT TO YOU THAT I HAD EVER SEEN! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, BABY! FEEL THE BURNING POWER!" apparently for some strange reason, Taka-san had gotten ahold of his racket. Fuji who was standing there gaping – yes, _Fuji_ was gaping, jaw dropped, eyes wide – quickly hurried over to Taka-san and wrenched, though kindly, the racket out of the …_burning_ man.

"Maybe we should get him to the nurse," Oishi was murmuring.

"I'm fine! I'm fine! Was just distracted for a moment! Nothing to worry about!" he called over to everybody, not at all assuring.

"Hmm…" came the voice of Eiji. Everybody turned to him and was astonished to see that the acrobatic wasn't bouncing around saying cheerily, "To the nurse! To the nurse, nya! Momo off to the nurse!" but was standing there, evidently deep in thought. "Momo," he spoke after a second. "You aren't hit…by the _lovebug _are you?"

"The _what_?!" they all echoed, except for Inui.

"Eiji-senpai, that's insane!"

"Well you did go on a date yesterday!" Eiji protested, backing up his theory.

"What?!" he spluttered. "It wasn't a date! I just went to the sports center to practice tennis with her! You can ask the reception there if you want!"

"Oh?" came the monotone voice of Inui. "Well you're pretty _friendly_ to let her wrap her arms around you,"

Momo nearly dropped dead. "Wh-what?" he said weakly as his fellow regulars, juniors and freshmen gaped and a fresh layer of whispers and murmurings began.

"On the bicycle, after the burgers, you know…after she fell." Prompted Inui.

"What the – have you-have you been _stalking _me?"

"It should come as no surprise, Momo. You know Inui always stalks_," _said Eiji with a theatrical stare.

"Only opponents from other schools,"

"Wrong. Basically, only approximately 80 percent are from other schools. Yes, I have gathered information outside school on all of you too,"

Ryoma, Kaidoh, Momo and Taka-san backed away from Inui at this unexpected declaration.

"He knows everything, nya!" Eiji stage-whispered.

Momo twitched. "You know, Oishi-senpai, I do think I'm not feeling that well. May I please take leave?"

Oishi's head swerved from Inui to Momo's direction. "What? Yes, of course! Just remember to note it down next time Ryuzaki-sensei comes."

"Sure." he swung his racket over his shoulder and walked over to his bag as everyone watched intently, save Kaidoh and Ryoma.

As he changed in the locker room, he could hear the distant voices from the courts.

"But Inui, I've never seen you stalk me before!" came an indignant voice.

"Well duh, it's called _stalking_," said another.

"No. Of course people can see stalkers, nya! Or how else would people figure out that there _are_ stalkers!"

"Well then maybe what Inui-senpai is doing isn't called stalking!" argued one.

"Nonsense you fool! What else can it be?"

"I don't know…spying maybe?"

"That makes Inui sound like a ninja, nya!"

"I am _not _a ninja." affirmed the data man hotly. "I am merely collecting data,"

"Are you sure that's all you've been doing on your little… trips?"

"Are you by the slight chance of 69.35 percent trying to imply that I am a pervert?"

"Horio, that is unacceptable! 10 laps around the court now! And can we please get off the subject?"

"No! We have to clear this! What if…"

More voices broke out as further people entered the heated squabble.

Momo sighed as he finished his buttons then headed out to the school gate. He was halfway across the grounds when he saw a figure running as fast as she could from one of the blocks, her long braided hair flying wildly behind, bag banging onto her side.

"Momo-senpai!" she hollered out.

"Oh, Sakuno-chan!"

"Your-your…request," she said breathlessly as she reached him. She rummaged inside her bag and produced a small turquoise box.

Momo's eyes lit up at once. "I nearly forgot! Thanks! How much was it?"

She shook her head. "There's no need to pay me back. As long as you give it to her and she likes it, that'll be fine."

"Eh?" Momo reddened whilst Sakuno shot him a sparkling yet modest smile.

"Thank you, Sakuno-chan," he beamed back at her. "You heading over to the courts?"

It was her turn for her cheeks to be etched in light pink. "I – I – yes I am,"

"Good," he breathed a sigh of relief. "Because right now they're kind of bickering – yeah all of them, I guess you can stop it."

"Me?" she looked stunned.

Momo smirked as he explained. "Just call Echizen's name. He'll see you there and he'll tell the others to shut up,"

"Momo-senpai!" she exclaimed, the pink now going to a deep tomato red.

"Good luck," he winked. He then turned around and sauntered off to the gate, tucking the little box safely into his pocket.

As the running footsteps of the first year girl echoed off into the distance, he could've sworn she had shouted back to him, "Good luck to you too!"

He was in high spirits as he rounded another corner. Recognizing the street name from yesterday, he swung yet again and was soon in front of the large Tachibana residence. Just to be cautious, he dismounted quietly and crept up to the gate. He then rang the doorbell. For the first few seconds nothing happened. He stood at the gate front, feeling vigilant.

Then suddenly the front door banged open and out tottered Tachibana Ann.

"Momoshiro-kun! Sorry! I was on the phone with somebody." She said as she unlatched the lock holding the gate and let him in.

"No problem!" was his answer as he strolled in with his bike. He leant it against the front of the house. "Mind if I put it here?"

"Sure,"

She wasn't wearing the usual blue top matched with white skirt and leggings. Instead she had on, a light blue tank top and a long flowing white and grey skirt that dragged along a bit on the ground. He noticed that she had worn the green hairclips she was wearing back when they played Fudomine for the first time.

"Well this is it," she welcomed, as she opened the door again and let him in. "I know it isn't much," she added. "It looks big only because we have the biggest backyard in the neighborhood."

"No, it's fantastic!" he said, striding into the hallway. After the first few steps, a staircase on his right lead to upstairs and further on was a doorway to the kitchen on the left and on the right, a doorway to a spacious living room.

She led him into the kitchen, and he set himself down at the long wooden table while she busied herself at the fridge. "Water? Tea? Juice? Ponta? Cider? " she enquired.

"Juice, thanks,"

She set down two cups of juice on the table then sat down as well, her legs crossed on the chair, elbows resting lazily on the table, head supported by her palms.

"You've got a nice place," he commented as he took a deep measure.

She shrugged. "It's home,"

A short silence dragged a few seconds.

"Err…Ann…I've got - " he began nervously, when suddenly the phone rang.

"Sorry. Hold on a second," she leapt off the chair at top speed then ran into the hallway.

"Hello?" he could hear her voice from down the hallway. Damn whoever it was.

"Kamio-kun!" her voice cried in delight.

Right. Damn that Kamio. It was always him wasn't it?

"Really? That's great! Nah, I barely helped at all! Well that really is incredible. Tell him congratulations from me!"

Momo cracked his knuckles in irritation.

"Of course we'll celebrate! What, now?"

Momo refrained with a bit of difficulty from slamming the table.

"Well I…I feel like staying at home today. Maybe this Saturday?"

More stillness as the talking flitted over to Kamio.

"You can decide – no let Azuki-kun decide. It's in his honor after all. Alright! See you on Saturday then! Bye bye!"

"Kamio?" he questioned lightly as she re-entered the kitchen, eyebrows raised.

"His little brother just got onto the Fudomine squad as a Junior!" she said excitedly, totally oblivious to the hinting knitted eyebrows. "We've been training with him for ages now – looks like all that hard work really paid off!"

"That's nice," said Momo half untruthfully. "Anyway, you wanna' go practice now?"

"Mm-mm! Sure! Bathroom's upstairs if you need to change,"

Three minutes later and Momo was in his usual yellow shirt and blue pants. He stepped out of the back door and couldn't help gasping. They really did have a tennis court as their backyard. The house behind him seemed less spacious as he walked onto the pavement of the court. He settled down his bag on a bench on his side of the court.

A second later, Ann came bursting out of the back door, still dressed in the ridiculously long (for tennis) skirt and tank top. Instead of trainers she had chosen to wear high (not heeled though) sandals.

"Sorry. Stupid water boiler nearly blew up or something. Had a mess unplugging it."

"Are you going to the beach?" his jaw convulsed before he could stop himself.

She gave him a look. "I knew you'd say that… or something like that. Don't worry about me, let's just play," she grabbed her racket which was lying on the other side bench then walked on. "Hurry up, Momoshiro-kun!"

He was still gawping at her. "What on earth-?"

"Momoshiro-kun!" impatience darkened her face. "Serve!"

He did as he was told, and smacked the ball over, wondering how on earth she'd run in such tricky shoes and flowing skirt. To his utter amazement she ran over to where the ball was and hit it back with tremendous force.

"Wha-whah!" he tripped and fell flat on his face as he hurriedly (though too late) tried to meet the ball. He hadn't expected her to be able to return it.

"Are you okay?" she yelled from the opposite side.

He slowly got up, brushing off dirt and dust from the front of his shirt and pants.

"I told you not to underestimate me!" she called over, sounding amused.

"I wasn't – ," he began as he got to his feet. "That was just – unexpected. And since when did you say not to underestimate you?"

She giggled. "Keep playing as usual! I'll tell you all about it later!"

The game proceeded to 6-2 in favour of Momo.

They both flopped down onto the same bench, panting heavily.

"Care to tell me what this fancy attire is for?"

"It's for training."

"I'm sorry?"

She looked at him in the eye. "Know why my footwork's been pretty good lately? Well, it's thanks to this dress. I've been doing it for ages. The first few tries I kept tripping over naturally, but soon I got used to avoiding being tripped by it that it kind of developed into fast, efficient footwork. I know it sounds pretty illogical, but it really does work. Even my coach at school who's really picky and a total perfectionist was pleased." She elaborated earnestly.

"That…that does kinda' make sense," he said slowly, digesting this uniquely strange way of training. "And the shoes?"

"These shoes are total hell. They're so high that it takes even more lift and pressure to be able to walk, and that, improves my speed. I know," she broke off, seeing his expression. "It really doesn't look like it does the job but it really helps. Onii-san nearly fainted when he first saw what I was wearing to practice but when I explained it all he figured that I did have a point."

"Right. So if I ever see the Fudomine team running around in long skirts and high sandals, I'll know that I'm sane," he deadpanned.

She laughed hard. "Nah. Onii-san isn't that overboard. His teammates would kill themselves before doing so."

Momo smirked. "I can imagine so."

"Kamio-kun would probably jump off a building." She giggled at the imagination of it.

Kamio.

"You're – you're pretty close to Kamio."

She looked up then smiled. "You could say so. He's very nice. Well, not at first when Onii-san introduced me to the team. But later on we got to be really good friends and he's been helping loads with my tennis.."

"Oh absolutely wonderful." Said Momo in monotone, trying not to roll his eyes.

"You're jealous."

"You cannot be serious," he denied, also taken aback with her talent for directness.

"Hmm," she cocked her head to one side, smile broadening. "You sure?"

"Hundred percent,"

She laughed then resumed staring straight ahead like him. "You were about to say something just before Kamio-kun phoned."

"Eh?" he immediately panicked. "I did?"

She crossed her arms, her starry smile indicating _yes_.

"Err…well…" he couldn't hide or stall could he? She seemed to see through damn near everything. At a snail's pace, he twisted around, unzipped his bag and retrieved the blue box. "Hey…"

"Hm?"

He sluggishly turned back around then outstretched his hand to her. "Here," he said hurriedly, head down in embarrassment.

She looked pleasantly surprised. But then took the box and tenderly lifted the top off. His head was still bowed, afraid of her reaction.

She gasped softly as she lifted out the clips. Instinctively she held a hand to where her current green clips were. "How'd you – ?"

He finally looked up and shrugged when he analyzed that it was safe. "I just noticed…that you lost them."

"Thank you Momoshiro-kun! They – these are my favourite kind!"

He uncontrollably let out a breath of relief. "They're the right ones, right?"

"'Right'?" she repeated as if he was talking gibberish. "It's perfect!" she swiftly took out the green ones and slid in the new triple pink hearts.

"How does it look?"

"Looks great. Really matches you," he said, completely truthful this time. She beamed back as a reply.

"You're kidding." She touched the clips in her hair. "Thanks a million times, Momoshiro-kun!"

He tried to look modest though making a mental note to thank that Sakuno-chan a million times.

"Ne I'm thirsty. Can we go back in?" he asked.

"Sure, sure," she was still patting the clips in her hair as if they were sacred jewels from an Egyptian tomb.

As they made their way into the house from the back they could hear the front door bang open. They both stopped in their tracks.

"They can't be back yet," she mouthed.

But who else could it be?

"Ann?" the unmistakable voice of Tachibana Kippei echoed into the long hallway.

She swallowed. Momo merely stood rooted to the spot, his mouth unconsciously open, not looking far from a dying goldfish.

"Ann-chan?" it was Kamio's tone this time. They heard footsteps belonging to a few others enter the house.

"She might be practicing outside - in her dress and things. Isn't she slightly strange. But the methods work, they say. Even captain says so. It must be all my fault. I shouldn't be this discouraging. But it makes no sense…" - the distinctive muttering of Shinji followed on after Kamio.

"The back door," she pointed, barely audible.

As quietly as he could, he padded out of the back and had clicked it shut firmly just as Tachibana's team trooped into the hallway.

"Ann!"

She jumped though quickly smiled to cover it. "You guys are home early!'

"Why didn't you answer just now?"

"Hmm? Oh sorry. Was outside," she jerked her thumb at the backyard. "How was practice?"

Tachibana answered. "We left some of the information on St. Rudolph here. That's why we ended practice a bit early."

"Ah. Want me to get you all drinks?" she invited politely.

A few of the other members nodded. She made to step into the kitchen when her brother stopped her.

"Oh Ann. I don't know why or if you know – but for some inexplicable reason, there's a bike parked right outside our house."

She nearly went into a coma. "A – a what?"

"Bicycle," he repeated clearly.

Come clean or plough on innocence?

She was about to open her mouth when the phone rang. Tetsu Ishida who was closest picked it up and held it for his captain.

"Tachibana residence." he said in a deep voice. "Ah. Ann…it's for you,"

"For me?" she squeaked in surprise, despite the situation, though anything to stall for time was helpful right now.

"Hai!" she said into the mouthpiece.

"Um….um ,Tachibana-san!" uttered out a high-pitched and timid voice.

"Sakuno?"

"Uhh…Momo-senpai told me to pass on this message…umm…he said: no bike exists outside your door."

"What?" she said stupidly.

"I…uhh…don't know… that's the message!"

Really, couldn't he convey better laid out messages?

"Tachibana-san?"

"Uhh? Oh. I mean ah. Thank you Sakuno!"

As she hung up, she wore a sparkling smile and turned to her Brother & Co.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Wondering if you knew anything about the bike parked outside our house,"

"Bike? I didn't see a bike when I got home." And displaying her gift to act and praying in her mind that the bike really had gone, she lead the way through the front door to see.

"Where's the bike?" she mentally exhaled in relief whilst gesturing around with a curious look on her face.

Tachibana Kippei looked around disbelievingly. "It was – it was here just now. It was blue, wasn't it?" he moved his gaze to his teammates. They too, were scratching their heads.

"Maybe someone stole it. Or it was kidnapped. Who cares?" Shinji's cue.

"Shinji!" said Tachibana disapprovingly.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be that negative - even if it isn't my fault. And it's only natural for me to do this. But there's a possibility that we had only imagined it there for some unknown reason. Either way, I'm just making up lame excuses so we can all go back in and look up the St. Rudolph information. Sorry. But maybe it _was _really taken by some stranger that – "

"Shinji! Enough!"

"…sorry."

"Well at any rate, it doesn't matter. Let's go back in. Ann can you bring us some juice or something?" and with that they all trooped back into the house, though Kamio was the last and paused at the door to shoot Ann a meaningful look which she readily and easily returned with a expression of innocence.

He too then stepped in and up the stairs and left Ann along on the front porch like doorstep. She whooshed a deep breath. Thank God. It was so very close. True she hadn't done anything wrong and it wasn't like Momo was banned from the house. But she wouldn't like questions being raised and all that "What was he doing here?", "What's your relationship with him?", "You guys just played tennis right?"

Because she truthfully wouldn't have been able to answer them.


End file.
